Meet Ellie, a truly inspiring mama of 3 (aged 5, 3 and 11 months) set up 'What About the Kids' in early 2015. Ellie provides stylish and vintage kids corners for weddings, restaurants, parties and events. We are big fans of 'What About the Kids' here at Mum's the Word...you may have spotted her amazing toys and furniture at our Mama Meet Ups & #Wild_Child parties!

What day is it? Various different childcare and work criteria means every morning is different!

What are your 3 essentials for getting up, out and at ‘em?

1. Always shower/bath in evening so morning is just a quick hair straighten.

2. Organisation - if no energy to pack bag/lunch boxes/lay clothes out the night before then at least mentally know what is needed and plan accordingly.

3. Low expectations - if kids teeth aren’t brushed or everyone has had a bit too much sugar than should be acceptable by 8am it really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

Describe a typical working morning.

It depends - I work 2 days a week for Thomson Reuters so those days are a deliciously long and lazy commute (the coach from Rusthall rocks!), the other days are mummy days involving school /pre school runs then cramming as much work for WATK and my husbands business during kids naps and occasional childminder stints!

Your perfect local lunch spot would be…

My garden or Gastronomia G the Italian in the Pantiles (great food, wine and lovely with kids)

The happiest moment in your day?

Greeting my middle child in the morning, he’s a real sleepyhead and I love the way he slothes in to the kitchen all confused/disheveled and half an hour after everyone else.

The hardest moment in your day?

Getting 3 kids into bed when I have a ton of to-dos in my head - I admit I skip words in the bedtime story (in fact they often have an audio CD)

#1 tip for juggling work and family life?

Don’t feel guilty.

Most overused word of the day?

‘Boys…calm down'

Once the kids are in bed I…

Have a sherry!

Top 3 local gems?

1. Toad rock, just 5 mins from us, great for last min activity or before bed wind down.

2. Rosie at Village House Preschool, Langton Green. She is one of the most supportive people I know and makes me feel good about my kids and choices in life (and I expect has no idea she is so significant in many peoples lives!)

3. Grosvenor & Hilbert park - my boys love excavating the ‘octopus’ in the newly revamped sandpit, the new cafe can make a visit stretch most of the day!

Best piece of advice for fellow Mum's…

Not necessarily to do with being a mum, but I have always stuck by my dad’s two mottos in life - you can never be overdressed and never be too generous.